Ch 8 - Secrets to keep?

The cafeteria was filled with the usual sounds of clinking dishes and casual chatter, but Swayam's focus shifted when Caitlin entered, syringe and tube in hand. Though his face remained calm, his enhanced perception had already alerted him to her approach long before her footsteps echoed through the room.

As Caitlin reached their table, Cisco glanced up. "What's up, Caitlin? More experiments?"

Swayam leaned back in his chair, watching as Caitlin took a seat across from him. "Hey, Sam," she said, her voice a mix of curiosity and exasperation. "Can I take another blood sample? The last one evaporated again before we could analyze it properly."

With a sigh, Swayam raised his hand without complaint, extending his arm. Caitlin prepared the syringe, which was specially designed to bypass his regeneration. Even with that, she still struggled for a moment before finally extracting a small vial of blood.

Caitlin stood and gave him a half-smile. "You know, you could do us a favor by easing up on the workouts. The stronger you get, the harder it is to draw your blood. Soon enough, it might be impossible."

Swayam chuckled softly. "I'm just following Dr. Wells' advice. The more I train, the more control I have over my abilities." He didn't mention the other reason for his relentless exercise regimen—ensuring that his blood remained unusable for any experiments. Though he was unaware of his singularity status, his instincts screamed caution. If anyone tried to create a clone, or worse, a weapon from his DNA, he wanted to make sure they wouldn't succeed.

Caitlin smiled again, a little uncertain but trusting. "I'll take this to the lab. Thanks, Sam."

As she left, Swayam leaned back, thinking about how much had changed. His body had become a living fortress, stronger with each passing day. But what fascinated him most wasn't the physical transformation—it was the control he had developed over his own biology. He could now manipulate his blood actively, even though he had kept this hidden from the team. His ability to slow aging and halt the growth of his hair and nails was another secret he kept. The more his body evolved, the more he realized that nothing about him was ordinary.

Maybe it's for the best, he thought. Keeping secrets had become second nature, even from the people who had given him shelter, food, and a place to belong.

---

Time marched forward. A month had passed since that cafeteria encounter, and Swayam continued his quiet ascent toward mastering his powers. He had pushed his blood manipulation further, ensuring that no syringe or lab could extract anything useful from his body anymore. He had also kept his more unique abilities hidden—parallel thinking, ambidexterity, and his perfect memory. It felt like cheating, being able to absorb knowledge so easily, but at the same time, it was thrilling to excel at something he once struggled with.

As his abilities grew, so did the tension in his interactions with the team. Eobard, or "Wells," had stopped casting suspicious glances at Swayam. Whether it was because he had begun to see him as a valuable member of Team Flash, or simply because he was hiding his own feelings better, Swayam couldn't say. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that Eobard was waiting for something, watching him closely despite his lessened suspicion.

For all his gratitude toward the team, especially Caitlin and Cisco, there remained a part of Swayam that was distant. He wasn't entirely part of this world, and no matter how much time passed, that sense of isolation only deepened. Every now and then, the thought would creep into his mind: Is any of this real? Was he just another piece in some cosmic puzzle, like the characters of a story he once knew from a distant reality?

But he didn't dwell on that thought for long. He had to keep moving forward.

---

Three months after that conversation, everything changed. After months of study and consideration, Eobard—using his influence—managed to make Swayam an official U.S. citizen. The team had decided it was time to let Swayam integrate into society, giving him a sense of freedom after being cooped up inside S.T.A.R. Labs for so long.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Swayam could step outside and breathe the fresh air of Central City. He could walk the streets without fear of getting into trouble. Caitlin, Cisco, and even "Wells" had agreed that he needed more than the confines of the lab to stay mentally stable. The isolation was starting to wear him down, and the restlessness was growing more apparent by the day.

His new life came with a modest house on the outskirts of town, far enough from the bustle of the city and the ever-watchful eyes of Eobard. Swayam had specifically requested a place away from prying eyes, though he knew Eobard would still monitor him, one way or another. Still, this semblance of freedom was a welcome change.

---

Standing outside his new house, Swayam surveyed the quiet surroundings. The house was simple, just the way he liked it. No high-tech surveillance here, no constant reminder that he was being observed. For the first time in months, he could think clearly, away from the trio's curiosity and Eobard's manipulative gaze.

It's not much, he thought, taking a deep breath. But it's mine.

The air felt fresher, the silence comforting. But with this freedom came a new weight. He had secrets—secrets that could easily get him killed if they were ever revealed. Even with his near-invulnerability, Swayam wasn't arrogant enough to think that there wasn't something or someone out there capable of ending his life. This world was dangerous, and he had no desire to test its limits.

Despite the changes, Swayam couldn't shake his feeling of detachment from the world around him. He was still just an anomaly, an outsider in this reality. He had learned to live with it, but the sensation gnawed at him. For now, though, he had no choice but to accept it. The only thing he could do was continue honing his powers, staying one step ahead of whatever danger lurked around the corner.

Because in the end, he knew one thing for certain: In this world, nothing is ever as it seems.